1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cleaning apparatus that may be utilized to clean cylindrical articles, such as cylindrical air filters that are utilized with vehicle engines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Air filters for use with large size vehicles, such as trucks, generally have a cylindrical configuration with one closed end. These air filters become soiled with dust during operation of the vehicle and periodically must be cleaned or replaced. Conventionally, in order to clean such soiled air filters, compressed air is applied to the filter via an air nozzle so as to blow off the dust that has adhered to the filter material.
However, when this conventional cleaning process is used to clean soiled filters, dust will scatter and disperse to the surrounding environment. In particular, when such a conventional cleaning process is utilized at industrial companies, such as transport companies that must clean a large number of air filters, the surrounding environment of these companies becomes dusty because it is difficult to collect the dust once it has diffused into the air. Therefore, it has been a long-felt need to develop air filter cleaning techniques that permit soiled or dusty air filters to be cleaned without scattering the dust into the surrounding environment.
It is an object of the present invention to teach improved cleaning devices. Preferably, the present cleaning devices may be utilized to clean cylindrical articles and can dispose of dust without scattering or diffusing the dust into the surrounding environment.
According to the present teachings, cleaners are taught that can remove dust from cylindrical articles, such as air filters, without scattering the dust to the outside of a cleaning container. For example, a dust duct may be connected to a process chamber of the container and may include an aspirating device disposed within the dust duct. The soiled object is subjected to a pressurized airflow inside the container and, as a result, dust from the object will blow off inside the cleaning apparatus. The aspirating device preferably draws the dust from the process chamber into the dust duct. In one embodiment of the present teachings, the aspirating device may produce a gas-liquid mixture jet that induces airflow from the process chamber to the dust duct. The removed dust may be wetted in the dust duct by the liquid from the air-liquid mixture jet. Therefore, the removed dust can be disposed together with the liquid without scattering the removed dust into the surrounding environment.